The Dark Frigate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Dark Frigate

Author	Charles Hawes
Cover artist	Warren Chappell
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Historical novel
Publisher	Little, Brown
Publication date	1923
Media type	Print (Hardcover & Paperback)

The Dark Frigate is an exciting historical adventure novel for kids, written by Charles Hawes in 1923. It tells the story of a young sailor named Philip Marsham and his unexpected journey into the world of pirates. This book was so good that it won the famous Newbery Medal in 1924, which is a big award for children's literature. Sadly, it was the last book Charles Hawes wrote, as he passed away not long before it was published.

What Happens in the Story?

The story begins in London during the 1600s. Philip Marsham is a 19-year-old sailor who has just lost his father, whose ship was lost at sea. A small accident with a gun makes Phil decide to leave London quickly. He leaves behind the money his father left him and starts walking across England towards a town called Bideford.

On his journey, Phil meets Sir John Bristol, an important local lord who really impresses him. He also meets two men, Tom Jordan and Martin Barwick, who say they are sailors too. Tom, who everyone calls the Old One, soon goes his own way. But Martin becomes Phil's travel buddy. When they reach Bideford, Martin takes Phil to Mother Taylor, an old woman who helps with secret, illegal deals. She tells them that the Old One has already left on a ship. However, she helps Martin and Phil find spots on a ship called the Rose of Devon.

Once on the Rose of Devon, Phil quickly shows off his sailing skills and impresses the captain. When the ship's boatswain (the officer in charge of the ship's equipment and crew) is hurt in an accident, Phil gets promoted to take his place. After a big storm, the Rose of Devon crew finds a wrecked ship. While rescuing the people from the wreck, Phil is surprised to see that the Old One is leading them!

At first, the Old One and his group act friendly. But soon, they show their true colors: they are pirates! They attack the Rose of Devons captain and take over the ship. Many of the Roses original crew are tempted by the idea of getting rich and join the Old One. Only Phil and his friend Will Canty, who is also a young sailor, don't want to become pirates. The Old One likes Phil and lets him keep his job as boatswain, hoping Phil will eventually join them willingly.

The new pirate crew tries to raid other ships, but they don't have much luck and don't get much treasure. During one attack on a small island town, Will Canty tries to escape to find help. Sadly, the pirates catch him again. Later, they hurt and kill him. Seeing his friend murdered is too much for Phil. Soon after, he tries to escape himself.

Phil runs to a nearby island and sees another ship anchored there. He swims out to check it out and discovers it's a British warship! But the crew captures him. Phil manages to convince them about the pirate ship nearby. Because they were warned, the British sailors easily defeat the Old One and his crew, capturing the Rose of Devon.

Unfortunately, the British captain doesn't believe Phil is innocent. He thinks Phil was a pirate spy who, once caught, betrayed his friends to get free. So, Phil is arrested with the rest of the pirate crew and taken back to England for a trial.

During the trial, it looks like everyone, including Phil, will be found guilty and face serious punishment. When Phil is called to speak, he insists again that he was forced to be with the pirates. However, when asked to speak against the other crew members, he refuses. He says that even though he was forced, they were still his companions. The Old One is impressed by Phil's bravery and honesty. He speaks up for Phil, telling the court that Phil is truly innocent. In the end, only Phil is found not guilty. The pirate crew faces their punishment soon after, with only the Old One staying brave until the very end.

After becoming a free man, Phil goes back to Sir John Bristol's lands. He asks the lord to let him work for him. Phil becomes one of Sir John's closest friends for several years. He even serves under Sir John during the English Civil War, fighting for the King's side. Even though Phil becomes a higher-ranking soldier during the war, Oliver Cromwell's forces eventually win. Sir John is killed in battle.

Phil grows tired of England and decides to leave the country. He travels back to the docks at Bideford. He is shocked to find the Rose of Devon among the ships there! After talking with her new captain, he books a trip to Barbados.

Meet the Characters!

• Philip Marsham - He is the main character of the story. He is 19 years old and was raised by his sailor father. This means he knows a lot about ships from a young age. He becomes an unwilling member of a pirate crew when his ship is taken over.
• Tom Jordan - Also known as the Old One, he is the main bad guy in the book. He leads the pirates who take over the Rose of Devon. He can be mean and angry, but he is also very brave and a strong leader. The book says he had all the qualities of a great leader. If he had lived in a different time, he might have been a famous naval hero instead of a pirate.
• Martin Barwick - Phil meets Martin on the road to Bideford, and they travel together. Martin is part of the Old One's pirate crew and helps capture the Rose of Devon. He is not very brave or skilled, and the other pirates often make fun of him.
• Will Canty - A young sailor, about the same age as Phil. They become good friends. Like Phil, Will hates being with the pirates. He secretly tries to mess up the pirates' plans, but the Old One knows what he's doing. When Will tries to escape for help, he is caught, hurt, and killed.
• Sir John Bristol - A minor lord whom Phil meets early in the book. Even though they only meet briefly, Phil is very impressed by Sir John, who reminds him of his own father. After his adventures with the pirates end, Phil returns to Sir John's home and serves with him during the English Civil War. Sir John is killed at the Second Battle of Newbury.

Why This Book is Special

The Dark Frigate is a special book because it won the Newbery Medal in 1924. This award is given each year to the author of the most outstanding American book for children. Winning the Newbery Medal means a book is recognized for its great writing and storytelling.